Cabinet



July 2l, 1942. F. wAcHMAN CABINET File'd 'June 30, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 1ATTORNEY cfg/Z7 gg v July 21, 1942. F. wAcHMA'N CABINET Filed June :5o.1939 2 sheets-sheet 2 ATTORNEYS l Patented July 2l, 1942 UNITED STATESlCABINET Frank Wachman, New York, N. Y.

Application June 3 0, 1939, Serial No. 282,180

3 Claims.

This invention relates generally to cabinets and has particularreference to cabinets for storing articles for sale and displayingspecimens of them.

One object of the invention is to provide a cabinet of the kindmentioned which is simple in construction, easy to assemble anddis-assemble and which is sturdy an-d durable in construction.

Another object is to provide an enclosing casing for a rotatable storageand display device which is substantially dust-proof and which is soconstructed as to aiord a maximum of glass in the display part of thecasing. 'I'his is accomplished by making the display portion exclusivelyof glass doors or windows having light sash frames; that is, there areno parts such as posts or jambs between the windows or doors.

Another object is to provide a construction in which a rotary storageand display member is supported upon bearings which will hold thestorage and display member accurately in a vertical position and permitthe rotation of the member when desired. This support is important inapplicants particular construction because the rotary member is used tosupport and hold casing parts in vertical position and that cannot bedone accurately unless the vertical position of the rotary member ismaintained. This is due to the fact that, as before stated, there are nojambs or posts between the exterior doors to stiften the casing.

With the foregoing and other, as well as incidental, objects in view,the invention consists in a novel construction and relative arrangementof parts, embodiments of which are shown in the accompanying drawingsand the novel features of which are pointed out in the claims appendedhereto.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a top view of one of the cabinets of this invention.

Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2-2 of Fig. l.

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 illustrates details of the construction of the door or windowfeature.

Fig. 5 is a view along the line 5;-5 of Fig. 3 illustrating some of thefeatures also shown in Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a section of a modification of the apparatus illustrated inFigs. 1 to 3 inclusive.

Fig. 7 is a detail of a roller bearing support for the storage anddisplay member of the cabinet of Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a section onthe line 8-8 of Fig. 6.

reni

FFICE The cabinet shown in Fig. 2 comprises a rotary member' I0,rotatably supported by bolts II and I2 through a top piece I3 ofthecabinet and a bottom piece I4. These bolts. are employed so as to leavemore of the rotary member free for use in storing stock than would bepossible if an axially extending shaft Was employed. A long shaft orsomething of that kind would interfere with putting stock in thecompartments herein-v after described. The rotary member has a top plateI5 and a bottom plate I 6,- and between these plates are Walls I1, I8,extending vertically between the plates I5 and I6 and meeting at rightangles as at 2l. In the preferred construction these walls are soarranged that there are intersecting spaces I9 and 20, each extendingthe full diameter of the rotary member and. thereby leaving the centerof that member where the'spaces I9 cross, so that any shelving can beused. Some shelves may extend the full length of the spaces I9; that is,substantially the full diameter of the rotary member, or shelves mayextend only to one of the corners 2l and leave the rest of the space onthat plane free from shelving. In fact by using the angular constructionafforded by the walls I 1 and I8 it is possible to have a wide variancein the arrangement of the shelving according to number or according tothe kind of article which is to beV stored.

The openings 20 may be closed by doors 22 and the outer faces of thesedoors may be provided with clips foi` holding articles for display orthe doors may carry small display shelves or racks for differentarticles.

The outer part of the angle formed by the walls I! and vI8 may also beprovided With display shelves or with Wire loops such as shown in 23 fordisplaying articles such as neck ties or similar things.

.The top plate I3 also forms the bottom for a storage compartment 24consisting of sides 25 and a pair of covering members 26 hinged as at21. Brackets 28 of a well-known type may be employed for holding thecover members in raised position.

lInstead of compartment 24 being used as a storage compartment it may beemployed to accommodate a sale announcing phonograph or a motor where adrive for the rotary member I0 is to be employed.

The base of the cabinet is preferably composed of two sections, the oneshown at 3I being normally of a material which will not be injured ormarred by mops and brooms, while the section 32 may be of any decorativematerial to conform with the rest of the cabinet or with the storefixtures.

In some constructions the top plate I3 may be constructed to formupwardly extending ledges 33 which, in combination with downwardlyturned ledges 34 on the sides 25, will aiford supports for insertingadvertising cards and the like.

Integral with the bottom plate I4 and the bottom side wall 32 is aseries of members 36 extending around the cabinet and affordingsupporting sills for the display windows or doors.

As above stated, the display portion of the casing is composed entirelyof doors or windows in order to increase the visibility of articles ondisplay. In addition, the doors or windows serve to support the topplate I3 to prevent it `from tilting and they further serve to stiftenand hold the entire upper part of the cabinet in position.

The display section of the cabinet is composed of what isfor;convenience usually referred to herein as the control door orVwindow 31 (the latter term is usually hereinafter employed) and aseries of display windows 38.l In the `embodiments shown herein thereare seven ('7) of these display windows, the display part `of thecabinet being octagonal.

The control window and the display windows are hinged in the top plateI3 and the bottom sill 36 and their adjoining edges are shaped toformmiter joints when the windows are closed to bring the abutting edgestogether. The hinge construction employed comprises members 4I set inthe upper and lower ends of the frames of each of the windows andfastened in position as by the screws 42 (Fig. 3) only one of which isshown in Fig. 5. For a reason which will be clear later, the hingemembers 4I are constructed to extend slightly beyond the vertical edgesof the frames to which they are attached, and carry studs or pins 43engaging sockets .in' the top plate I3 and the sill members 36. Inassembling, the lower pins or studs 43 are inserted in holes providedfor that purpose and a like operation is performed when putting the toppart 25 of the cabinet in place.

From the immediately foregoing it will be seen that the frames of thedisplay windows or doors serve to space the topplate I3 from the bottomsill 36, thereby insuring correct alignment or relation between all ofthe parts and the base of the device.

Each of the windows is, of course, provided with a pane 44 of glass heldin position in the frame by any suitable means.

The control door 31 is provided with a lock 45, the bolt of whichcooperates with the adjacent edge of one of the display windows 38. Ifall of the display doors or windows are closed, in which ,positionstheyare shown in the drawings, and the control door 31 is closed andlocked, unauthorized accessto the interior of the cabinet is prevented.This is eiected by a tongue and groove construction at the abuttingfaces of the windows which also serves to make dustproof seals.

It is preferred to have the grooves referred to cut in the hinged sidesof the windows and the tongues on the free edges of the adjacentwindows. These tongues and grooves are designated respectively 46 and 41in the drawing. The tongues are, as shown, inclined inwardly withrespect to the face onwhich they are formed. Owing to the location ofthe pivot pins 43 with respect to the vertical edge of the frame towhich the members 4I are attached and the crosssectional shape of thetongue, closing of the hinge carrying member will apply pressure on theoutside face of the tongue 46 and give a final closing movement to thetongue carrying window. In addition, the tongue will be engaged by theouter wall of the groove and the tongue member locked against openingwhen the preceding window is closed. By this arrangement, if the displaywindow'33 at the left of the control door 31 is closed and then the nextwindow and so on around to the control door are closed in sequence, allof the display doors or windows will be locked. The control door has agrooved edge cooperating with a tongue on the edge of the display doornext to the right so that when the control door is closed and locked theentire set of doors or windows will be locked. The tongue is omitted atthe free edge of the control door 31 and there is no groove in the edgeof the display window adjacent the free edge of the ccntrol window. Ifit is desired to open the display windows for any purpose such ascleaning, or stock replacement, the control door may be unlocked andopened after which the display windows can be opened one after the otherin regular sequence extending all around the cabinet.

'Ihe form of cabinet illustrated in Figs. 6, 7 and 8 is for use on acounter. It comprises a bottom plate or board 5I which carries a pivotstud 52 upon which a display cabinet resembling the floor cabinet inmost respectsmay be mounted to rotate as a unit. Between the board orplate 5I and the bottom member 53 of the cabinet is a bearing supportwhich serves to hold the display cabinet in proper relation to the base5I. This bearing comprises a pair of members 54 which are formed t0surround the bearing stud 52 and fastened together along theircontacting faces. Each of the members 54 Yis continued or extended toprovide rods 55 extending radially from the stud 52. Mounted upon eachof the rods 55 is a roller 55 held in position on the rod by a head 51on the end of the rod; The rollers may be of any desired material, butare preferably rubber covered metal tubes. Instead of using a singletube on each rod a series of short tubes may be used on each rod,thereby lessening to some extent frictional resistancewhen the displaycabinet is turned on the base 5I. The bearing construction of Fig. '1may, if desired, be, and in fact preferably is, used in the oor cabinetssuch as illustrated in Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive, although this will, ofcourse, involve some relative re-arrangement of parts to give room forthe bearings.

The counter cabinet of Fig. 6 has the same construction of the exterioror Vertical face; that is, it is composed solely of a, control door 6Iand display doors 62 interlocking as previously mentioned in connectionwith the floor cabinet. 'Ihe rotary member has crossing compartments 63and 64 which may be provided with any desired kind of shelving and theouter faces closed by hinged doors 65. In the counter cabinet, as wellas the oor cabinet, the construction is such that the periphery of thestorage and display section is enclosed largely by glass, this being dueto the fact that no pillars or jambs are used.

The cabinets shown and described provide what might lbe termed a compactretail unit in which, for example, mens shirts, hose, ties and similararticles may be stored in the rotaryvsection and specimens displayed onthe doors 22- and 65 and on the hangers 23, as Well as small shelves invertical alignment with the hangers. Normally only the control door 31will be used in making sales and the rotary member will be turned tobring opposite that door the specimen which the customer wishes toexamine and the stock of those articles will usually be stored in theinterior of the display section adjacent to the displayed specimen. Incleaning the glass or for convenience or stocking up the interior thecontrol door 31 may be swung open and then all of the other doors openedin sequence around the cabinet in the manner previously described.

While the invention has been illustrated and described in considerabledetail, that has been done merely to explain the invention and it is notdesired to be limited to any extent except as indicated in the claimswhich follow.

What is claimed is:

1. A display cabinet comprising a plurality of display windows havingtheir vertical edges constructed to abut as miter joints when thewindows are closed, and a tongue and groove seal between eachcooperating pair of said vertical edges, the groove in each instanceacting against the associated tongue to effect a final closing movementof the tongue-bearing window, and hinges for the windows constructed toswing the windows about axes outside the vertical sides of the windows.

2. A display cabinet casing comprising top and bottom members, and aperipheral casing composed solely of a plurality of frames eachsupporting a pane of glass, said frames being pivoted adjacent verticaledges thereof between the top and bottom members and their cooperatingvertical edges being constructed to interlock when closed in a certainorder, and a control window hinged like the others and interlocking atits hinged side with the frame of the next adjacent window, and a lockon the free edge of the control windoW cooperating With the hinged sideof the next adjacent window frame to lock the control window and closeddisplay windows.

3. In a display cabinet, a casing composed of a plurality of displaywindows each consisting of glass mounted in a frame, a cabinet top pieceand a cabinet bottom piece, hinge members attached to the upper andlower edges of each display window frame and extending beyond thevertical edge of said frame, studs on said members pivotally engagingrecesses in the cabinet top and bottom pieces, the pivcted movementbeing on an axis outside of but parallel to the vertical edge of thedisplay window frame, a groove in one vertical edge of each except oneof the display window frames and a tongue on each of the display windowframe edges one of which cooperates with each of said grooves, all ofsaid tongues and grooves being in engagement and sealing the abuttingedges of the display window frames together when the display windows areclosed, and a hinged control window having a groove in its vertical edgeat its hinged side cooperating with the tongue on the next adjacentdisplay window frame and a lock on its free edge cooperating with theabove excepted display Window frame, the adjacent edges of said excepteddisplay window frame and the control window being tongueless andungrooved, the construction being such that opening said control Windowwill disengage its groove from the tongue on the next frame and therebyfree the other windows for opening by disengaging the tongues andgrooves one after another in a iixed sequence.

FRANK WACHMAN.

